More than 300 travelers found themselves stranded aboard an Emirates aircraft on the runway of an airport for over 10 hours, according to reports. The incident involved Flight EK302 en route from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Shanghai, China, when severe thunderstorms forced a diversion to Hangzhou on July 22.
The Airbus A380, known as the world’s largest passenger airliner, made a safe landing at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport around 9 pm local time. Despite the airport’s proximity to Shanghai, approximately 110 miles away, passengers faced an unexpected ordeal as they remained onboard until 7:30 am the next day.
Passengers voiced grievances about the uncomfortable conditions inside the cabin, exacerbated by a reported loss of air-conditioning power at 3 am. Criticisms were also directed at the airline for the lack of communication during the extended delay.
Emirates crew had initially planned to wait for improved weather conditions at Shanghai Pudong International Airport before resuming the journey, as per the South China Morning Post. Delays in immigration procedures and border control further prolonged the passengers’ ordeal in Hangzhou.
After spending over 17 hours onboard, including approximately seven hours in flight and another 10.5 hours on the tarmac, passengers and crew were eventually allowed to disembark. Emirates has issued apologies to the affected travelers and offered provisions such as meals, accommodations, and shuttle services to Shanghai.
The Mirror has reached out to Emirates for additional details.